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iSSIBILITIES IN STATE HISTORICAL 
CELEBRATIONS 



BY 

HARLOW LINDLEY 




Reprinted from the Proceedp 

THE Mississippi Valley Historic a i. 

Association, Vol. IX, Part II, 1918 



POSSIBILITIES IN STATE HISTORICAL 
CELEBRATIONS 

The Indiana historical commission, a non-salaried commis- 
sion created by the general assembly of 1915, was charged with 
two duties. Its immediate duty was that of a state centennial 
commission, and its permanent duty that of the publication of 
historical material relating to Indiana. The law provided that 
$5,000, of the total appropriation of $25,000, might be used for 
publication purposes. 

The Indiana historical commission as a centennial commis- 
sion on an appropriation of $20,000 carried on a state-wide 
campaign of centennial publicity; it financially assisted in cele- 
brations of state-wide significance; it made possible a state 
pageant master who could successfully introduce the pageant 
movement to the educators of our state; it secured as a per- 
manent centennial reminder an artistic centennial medal; it 
made possible a motion picture of seven reels, depicting the 
■history of the state; it gave an impetus to the study of our 
state's history and development in clubs and schools; it ap- 
proved of and assistea in the pioneer mother memorial move- 
ment, and it unanimously supported the movement to secure the 
old capitol at Corydon for a permanent state memorial; it has 
been responsible for the erection of a large number of centennial 
memorials over the state. Perhaps its most permanent and 
far-reaching work has been the inauguration of a permanent 
state parks movement, which has already resulted in securing 
as a gift from the people of the state two tracts of real estate 
which have cost more than twice the amount appropriated for 
the use of this commission for centennial purposes. On the 
basis of the appropriation of $5,000 for historical publications, 
the commission has issued three volumes and has another in 
press. 

In a questionnaire addressed by the commission to the county 
centennial chairmen, covering the various phases of the year's 



308 Harlow Lindley ^' V- h. a. 

work, appeared this question: ''What do you consider to have 
been the most helpful and permanent results of your celebra- 
tion I" Two closely related facts stand out above all others 
in the answers : the arousing of a new interest in state and local 
history, and the creation of a community spirit and conscious- 
ness. The two are supplementary to each other and in a word 
express the vital significance of the celebrational activities of 
1916. 

From the bluffs of the Ohio to the sand dunes of lake Michi- 
gan there has been a general outburst of patriotic interest in 
Indiana and its history. The schools, as never before, have 
turned to a consideration of their own commonwealth; club pro- 
grams have been given the same direction ; by city, by township, 
and by county, facts of local history have been unearthed and 
rehearsed, both in print and in pageantry; j^ioneer relics and 
heirlooms have been rescued from the oblivion of hundreds of 
attics and displayed to an appreciative public ; the state has been 
fairly dotted with memorial markers; centennial committees 
have developed into permanent historical societies. 

A CAMPAIGN OF CENTENNIAL EDUCATION 

When it was organized the immediate problem confronting 
the commission was one of publicity in the widest sense. The 
people of Indiana as a whole knew little and therefore cared 
Uttle about the anniversary and its proper celebration. There 
was the usual amount of inertia to overcome, the ever-present 
demands of business life to meet, and an unusually active politi- 
cal campaign with which to compete for the attention of citi- 
zens. It was, therefore, no little task to educate and to arouse 
the state over the comparatively unexciting and unremunera- 
tive subject of centennial observance. Many and various were 
the means applied toward this end. 

General bulletins setting forth comprehensively the purpose 
of the commission and presenting plans for a state-wide cele- 
bration were issued for wide distribution. A special bulletin 
was addressed to the county school superintendents asking their 
cooperation and pointing out how it might be given. Articles 
were prepared for newspapers, periodicals, and various news 






1916-1917 State Historical Celebrations 309 

agencies. Starting in September, 1915, the commission began 
the publication of a weekly news letter which served as a clear- 
ing house of information for the county chairmen and the press 
of the state. It was published regularly for a little more than 
a year. Primarily for the children. Miss Dye of the commis- 
sion edited a department known as ''The Centennial Story 
Hour," in the Sunday edition of the Indianapolis Star, in which 
leading facts of Indiana history were entertainingly told. She 
also organized the "State-wide Letter Exchange" among the 
school children, wherein pupils from different parts of the state 
wrote each other of the interesting things in the history and life 
of their respective neighborhoods. 

Realizing the prime necessity of arousing the interest of the 
school population as a potent means of publicity, to say nothing 
of permanent results, the commission made an appeal directly 
to the teachers through the county institutes of the summer and 
fall of 1915. In this it had almost the unfailing cooperation of 
the county superintendents. With a volunteer force consisting 
chiefly of a half-dozen speakers, for the most part persons con- 
nected with the commission, a schedule was arranged by the di- 
rector whereby practically all the county institutes were ad- 
dressed in the interest of the centennial observance and of a 
more thorough study of the state itself. 

A large number of addresses were made before clubs, com- 
mercial and civic organizations, historical societies, church or- 
ganizations, and public gatherings of various kinds. The di- 
rector and assistant director visited many sections of the state 
in carrying on the work of agitation and organization. While 
the majority of its meetings were held at the capital, the com- 
mission met a few times out in the state for the purpose of 
arousing interest in different sections and giving encouragement. 
On such occasions public meetings were generally held, at which 
speeches were made by members of the commission. 

Many patriotic citizens who had no immediate connection with 
the commission volunteered their services as speakers and were 
used effectively. In anticipation of the year's demands for 
speakers in connection with the organization and celebrations, 
the commission organized a volunteer speakers' bureau. Men 



310 Harlow Lindley ^^- ^- ^- ^■ 

and women througliout the state were called upon to donate their 
services in this direction, if needed, and almost no declinations 
were received. 

As soon as the work of organizing the state was fairly well 
accomplished, the director issued a call to the county centennial 
chairmen to assemble at the capital early in December, for the 
purpose of discussing the practical problems confronting them 
in their work. The response was most hearty and encouraging. 
Busy men and women from all over the state, spent the neces- 
sary time and money to be present and consider the best inter- 
ests of Indiana in her centennial year. About fifty chairmen 
were in attendance and their interchange of ideas and plans was 
most helpful, exerting a profound influence on the work through- 
out the state. At this problem conference such subjects as 
county organization, finance, celebrational features, pageantry, 
home-coming, cooperation with the schools, permanent memor- 
ials, gathering historical materials, and publicity, were dis- 
cussed. 

For the purpose of giving added impetus to the preparations, 
and of calling attention to the industrial resources of the state, 
the secretaries of the conunercial bodies of Indiana, at the state 
meeting in January, in conjunction with the director of the com- 
mission, set apart February 22, as a rallying point for centen- 
nial enthusiasm ; and the governor issued a proclamation desig- 
nating the day as "Indiana Products Day." On this patriotic 
date centennial banquets and dinners were held in many towns 
and cities, at which nothing but foods grown or manufactured 
in the state were served. Attention was thus called in a strik- 
ing manner to our material resources, and an etfective means 
was given whereby, in the after-dinner programs, interest and 
enthusiasm in the centennial program for the state might be 
aroused. The Indiana products day movement was organized 
and carried out by the commission. 

Another effective means of obtaining publicity was that of 
the state park movement, launched and carried on under the 
auspices of the commission. The park campaign attracted wide 
notice and directed attention to the centennial propaganda of 
which it was a part. 

George Ade, chairman of the state committee on home-coming, 



1916-1917 State Historical Celebrations 311 

did a valuable piece of work in advertising the centennial with- 
out, as well as within, Indiana. He compiled a nnique series of 
Hoosierly greetings and invitations, contributed by Governor 
Ralston, Vice-president Marshall, ex- Vice-president Fairbanks, 
and by a galaxy of Indiana literary celebrities, which was pub- 
lished by the Bobbs-Merrill company as "An Invitation to You 
and Your Folks, from Jim and Some More of the Home Folks." 
This was widely distributed. The arrangement of a set of lan- 
tern slides illustrating the historical development of Indiana 
was found to be of educational value. These slides were circulat- 
ed among schools and clubs of the state and have been in con- 
tinuous use. They were provided by the commission but handled 
by the department of history and archives of the state library. 
In this connection it should be said that the state library cooper- 
ated heartily with the commission in its educative activities, 
particularly in the issue of bulletins which ably supplemented 
the commission's publications. 

Under the general head of publicity and education there should 
be mentioned the promotion of the moving picture, ''Indiana." 
The dramatization of the history of the state in the "movie" 
appealed strongly to the commission as a popular and impres- 
sive means of education, but it was evident that the commission 
was in no position to handle directly so big a project, and that 
the enterprise, if it should materialize, would have to be pro- 
moted as a business venture by private capital. A company, 
known as the Inter-state historical pictures corporation, which 
contracted with the commission to operate under its auspices 
and sanction, was formed by Indiana citizens. The corporation 
commissioned the Selig polyscope company of Chicago to pro- 
duce the picture, on the basis of a scenario approved by the com- 
mission. Work was begun in the spring, and a seven-reel film 
was completed about the first of June. 0\\dng to a combination 
of a late start and inclement weather, the picture was produced 
under somewhat unfavorable circumstances, causing some other- 
wise needless imperfections, but, on the whole, it presented a 
suitable and commendable picture show, suggestive of incidents 
in the historical life of Indiana. 

In conclusion it must be stated that the newspapers through- 
out the state were naturally an important factor in whatever 



312 Harlow Lindley m.v.h.a. 

success the commission acliieved in carrying its message to the 
people. For the most part they manifested a patriotic and pro- 
gressive interest in the cause, in the aid of which many were 
most generous. 

CELEBEATIONS 

With but $20,000 at its disposal for celebrational activities, 
the commission faced a difficult problem. Such ambitious pro- 
jects as those of centennial expositions and great central cele- 
brations as had been carried out in other states, were manifestly 
out of the question. Moreover, the members were doubtful as 
to the desirability of such forms of observance, had they been 
possible. Their great concern was that the commemoration of 
our centenary might be such that it would reach the people 
throughout the entire state, quickening in them a renewed loyal- 
ty and a deeper sense of civic responsibility. 

Actuated, therefore, by a wisely selected purpose as well as 
by financial necessity, the Indiana historical commission blazed 
the way to a new scheme of observance. In thorough keeping 
with our democratic institutions and political organization, it 
decided to decentralize the Indiana celebration, making it state- 
wide and of genuine interest to the people. It determined to 
make the anniversary mean as much in the extreme corner of 
the "pocket" as in the capital itself. With this end in view a 
campaign was vigorously undertaken in behalf of a state-wide 
celebration, twofold in its significance ; historical, in the knowl- 
edge and appreciation of the state and its institutions, present 
as well as past ; patriotic, in a new admiration and love for the 
Indiana that is and may be. In a word the commission went to 
the whole people of Indiana with this challenge: "This anni- 
versary is an occasion for taking stock of our history, local as 
well as state, and of paying due tribute to the builders of the 
commonwealth. It is a patriotic service for hamlet and town 
and city. We may show thereby whether we appreciate and 
whether we are worthy of the deeds of our forefathers. It is 
our celebration, as a people, to make of it what we will." This 
is the Indiana experiment which has been watched with much 
interest by other states that are soon to observe their own cen- 
tenaries. 



1916-1917 State Historical Celebrations 313 

Careful planning was necessary to insure a general observ- 
ance, so the commission began organizing the state on the basis 
of the county. Centennial chairmen were secured in the various 
counties, each to select his own committee for the planning and 
execution of the work. Men and women from all walks of life 
accepted these posts of responsibility in the spirit of rendering 
a real public service, without hope of reward. In all but two 
or three counties, leaders were thus secured. With a few the 
leadership was nominal only, but the majority took up their 
work energetically and patriotically, several achieving results 
truly remarkable. On the whole it may be said that satisfactory 
work was done in most of the counties and that reasonably sat- 
isfactory results were obtained in from three-fourths to four- 
fifths of them. There were probably not a dozen counties in 
which some kind of celebration was not held. 

The general schedule provided for the holding of local and 
school celebrations early in the spring. Many county school 
superintendents cooperated by setting apart one day of observ- 
ance throughout the schools of their counties. This did much 
to prepare the way for the later celebrations, participated in 
more generally, beginning early in the summer and running well 
into the autumn. The greater number of the latter were county- 
wide in scope. 

These county celebrations varied greatly in length, in content, 
and in the spirit which pervaded them. Some were for a day, 
others continued two or three days, and yet others for a week. 
As a whole they consisted of home-comings and reunions, his- 
torical and inspirational addresses and sermons, musical festi- 
vals and old melody concerts, exhibits of pioneer relics, indus- 
trial and agricultural displays, historical drama-pageants, folk 
dances, school drills, reproductions of pioneer life, centennial 
parades, and exercises in connection with the dedication of per- 
manent memorials. A feature of not a few of these was the 
presentation of the moving picture, ''Indiana." The commis- 
sion did its utmost to see that these programs were strictly pa- 
triotic and centennial in nature, and such were the greater num- 
ber. In some counties the observance was conducted in con- 
nection with chautauquas, industrial fairs, and county festivals, 
and in a few the centennial idea was prostituted for commercial 



314 H ado IV Lindley M. v. h. a. 

considerations. On the whole, however, it is felt by the com- 
mission that its plan for a state-wide celebration was realized 
both in scope and in spirit to a remarkable degree, considering 
the limited amount of funds at hand, and the short time for prep- 
aration. It has been a distinctive and impressive sight to see 
the great array of counties, following fast one after another, 
each making its own contribution to the centennial year, paying 
its own tribute to the state of which it is an integral part. 

Two celebrations, however, were more than county and more 
than regional — those held at Indiana's two capitals, Corydon 
and Indianapolis, and they accordingly stood out from the oth- 
ers as state celebrations. The former, staged for two days, June 
2 and 3, around the old Harrison county court house, the first 
capitol, and beneath the constitutional elm, portrayed vividly the 
beginnings of statehood. The latter, of two weeks' duration, 
October 2 to 15, at the present capital, depicted by means of a 
pageant and otherwise, the wonderful development of Indiana 
during the past century. 

The commission feels that this decentralized observance, 
unique in the history of state centennial celebrations, has been of 
incalculable influence and significance. The centennial propagan- 
da has been carried to the four corners of the state, and we have 
had the inspiring spectacle of a people of a commonwealth de- 
lighting to do it honor and reverence. A much more intimate 
and appreciative knowledge of the history of Indiana has re- 
sulted, together with a far better acquaintance with the present 
facts about the state, its geography, its people, its resources, 
and its possibilities. This bespeaks a greater and a more in- 
telligent loyalty — the basis of a higher type of citizenship. The 
fact that the people as a whole in the various communities have 
united and cooperated in a way hitherto unknown means that in 
many cases a new community consciousness has been developed. 
Out of it all, likewise, has come a more perfect state conscious- 
ness which augurs well for Indiana, on the threshold of her 
second centenary. 

PAGEANTRY 

Two years ago he who spoke to Hoosiers of pageantry, spoke 
in an unknown tongue. The word was vaguely associated with 
those old worthies, "the boast of heraldry, the pomp of power," 



1916-1917 State Historical Celebrations 315 

''magnificent spectacle," and ''fanfare of trumpets," but was 
popularly synonomous with our old friend, tried and true, the 
"peerade." Today we laugh at such gross ignorance, for the 
centennial has made "pageant" one of the commonest of Hoos- 
ier household words, the pronunciation of which is the shib- 
boleth, dividing the centennial elect from the medievalists. 

When discussion as to ways and means of observing our an- 
niversary became general, this old, though distant, acquaintance 
made its appearance, but in new clothing. In order to give it a 
proper and somewhat formal introduction, the state university 
brought William Chauncy Langdon of New York to Blooming- 
ton to give a course at the summer session of 1915 on the gener- 
al subject of pageantry. It should be noted that the university 
had just issued a comprehensive bulletin on the subject by Dr. 
Withington of its English department. Through these and oth- 
er agencies, the general content, scope, and purpose of the dra- 
matic portrait of the community, past and present — a mirror 
in which the community sees itself as it has been, is, and as it 
may be — ^ became familiar to people in country and town alike. 
The possibilities of pageantry appealed strongly to the commis- 
sion as a means of drawing attention to Indiana history and of 
providing a form of observance which would draw whole com- 
munities together in a better understanding and appreciation 
of the history of their own neighborhood in relation to that of 
their state. It decided, therefore, to feature the pageant in 
such celebrations as should come more directly under its own 
auspices. 

But pageantry as a real community effort and expression is 
a recent development, and there was felt the need of having 
some one with experience to "cut the pattern" for Indiana. 
The commission, therefore, in conjunction with and by means 
of the financial help of the university and Mr. Hugh McK. Lan- 
don, secured the services of Mr. Langdon, the first president of 
the American pageant association, as state pageant master. 
The duties involved on his part were primarily the writing and 
directing of three pageants : one at the university, one at Cory- 
don, and one at Indianapolis. At the same time the commis- 
sion carried on a campaign of education throughout the state, 
by means of bulletins, its weekly news letter, and lectures, with 



316 Harlow Lindley m. v. h. a. 

the purpose of impressing the people generally with the possi- 
bilities of the pageant as an agency of centennial observance. 
Effective work in this direction was done by Miss Charity Dye 
who had written the New Harmony pageant two years before. 
She traveled extensively over the state and was also the author 
of a very helpful bulletin, ''Pageant suggestions for the In- 
diana statehood centennial celebration," published and distrib- 
uted by the commission. 

In these ways the leaven was provided and an interest was 
soon manifest. The first fruitage of all this propaganda was 
the university pageant at Bloomington, or more properly speak- 
ing, the Bloomington pageant. In a large sense it was what it 
was intended to be, a laboratory pageant, an object lesson to the 
people of Indiana. After having read and studied about pag- 
eantry, interested persons from far and near went to Blooming- 
ton to see and study at first hand. 

One striking and significant development in the work should 
be noted. In the early stages of preparation the one great 
problem which presented itself to the various communities was 
that of authorship and direction. It was so serious that for a 
time it seemed probable that relatively few pageants would be 
attempted. Professional pageant masters were not at hand and 
imported ones constituted a luxury that few places could afford, 
even had they been available. But Hoosiers are nothing if not 
resourceful and versatile, particularly when a pad and pencil 
are involved. In short they were quick to ''catch on," with the 
result that pageant writing was soon in progress by the home 
product route, from the Ohio northward. In all, some forty- 
five pageants were presented in 1916, and aside from those over 
which Mr. Langdon had control, all but about a half-dozen were 
written and directed by home talent. In some cases the results 
were somewhat crude to be sure, but they were the expression 
of the community. In other cases the "made in Indiana" pag- 
eants compared very favorably indeed with any given in the 
state. As an indication of the scope of the movement it is esti- 
mated that 250,000 citizens saw at least one pageant during the 
year, and that from 30,000 to 40,000 people participated in one 
of them. 

For the most part these pageants, while presenting the broad 



1916 1917 State Historical Celebrations 317 

outlines of the history of the state as a whole, at the same time 
depicted the history of the more immediate neighborhoods in 
which they were given. In this way the local history of a very 
considerable part of the commonwealth was dramatized, since 
the geographical distribution of the pageants was rather sur- 
prisingly uniform, although the pageant area par excellence was 
that of the ''pocket," the southwestern section of Indiana. 

The most difficult problem, but the one in which the possibili- 
ties were greatest, was that of the county pageant in which parts 
were taken by the respective townships. It was a problem in 
unity and organization, but where successfully solved, the re- 
sults achieved in bringing the whole county together as an or- 
ganic community were in proportion to the difficulties overcome. 

The commission considers this an excellent sho's\dng for one 
year 's work, the merits of which are evident. By thus visualiz- 
ing the past, its events were made more intelligible and inter- 
esting. As nothing else has done, the pageant brought all class- 
es of a community together with a common purpose. Indeed 
whole counties were drawn together and old rivalries forgotten 
in a closer acquaintanceship and a better understanding. More- 
over all was done in the name of Indiana, for which a deeper 
devotion was inspired. 

In conclusion I would say, beware of commercialized patriot- 
ism; eliminate the street fair and carnival idea; do not make 
your organization too complex ; do not attempt too many things ; 
get a man with a newspaper pen but with historic instinct to 
handle publicity; send a good organizer over the state, into 
every county, to find local leaders who may be depended on; 
and localize rather than centralize your celebrational activities. 

Harlow Lindley 
Earlham College 
Richmond, Indla.na 



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